I Am a Warrior
by Trust.Hope.Love
Summary: Set during S1 finale. Karen has this way of dealing with her break ups and heartbreaks and emotions when they build up too much. It's never let her down before, and she's just hoping and praying that it will work again tonight. Cartwills. Friendship: Jessica, Bobby, Sue, and Dennis.
1. The Beginning in the End

**I Am a Warrior**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Smash…otherwise Derek and Karen would've gotten together, and the show wouldn't have been cancelled because Derek and Karen would've been together and people would've continued watching. Do you like how that all circles back around to Derek and Karen being together?

I also don't own _Warrior_ it belongs to Demi Lovato.

**AN:** Possible spoilers for anything, I'm trying to keep it only Season 1 but some things from Season 2 might slip past. Derek and Karen are friends. Derek only slept with Ivy two or three times, and he didn't sleep with Rebecca. Karen is also friends with Jessica, Sue, Bobby, and Dennis.

This was supposed to be a one-shot, but kept growing. I'm not sure how long it'll be now...maybe somewhere between 5-10? We'll see.

Please R/R!

_Now I'm a warrior_

_ I've got thicker skin_

_ I'm a warrior_

_ I'm stronger than I've ever been_

_ And my armor, is made of steel, you can't get in_

_ I'm a warrior_

_ And you can never hurt me again_

Warrior – Demi Lovato

**Chapter 1: The Beginning in the End**

Karen has this way of dealing with her break ups and heartbreaks and emotions when they build up too much. It's never let her down before, and she's just hoping and praying that it will work again tonight.

She had never been proposed to before. She had never wanted someone to propose to her before. She never thought that she would break up with the man proposing to her the night he proposed either.

However, she's found that life rarely goes the way you imagine it will.

When Karen had envisioned her proposal in the past, the scene that played out a couple of hours ago never entered her mind. She pictured romance and roses and a ring and champagne.

What she got was severely lacking and disappointing. Dev asked her to marry him because he realized that he couldn't live without her while he cheated on her. While making out with RJ in their apartment. Seriously, how could he think that would be a good way to propose to the woman he supposedly loves?

After telling Dev that she couldn't make any life changing decisions during tech week, Karen just walked the streets of Boston around their hotel for a couple of hours. As she walked past a random bar for the second time she slowed her steps and contemplated going inside, but stopped completely when she who was inside.

She saw Dev sitting at the bar, which completely surprised her as she thought he was back in New York. What surprised her even more was who he was sitting and flirting with – Ivy.

She stood there for an indeterminate amount of time when she saw them get up to leave. She hid in the shadows just watching. It was like watching a train wreck – you don't want to see it, but you can't make yourself look away.

Dev and Ivy paused outside the door to get their bearings in their intoxicated states. They turned in the direction of the hotel, and just before they began walking again, they shared a passionate kiss. They laughed as they started walking toward the hotel.

Karen just stood there, numb as silent tears streamed down her face, as the pieces of her heart were shattered into even smaller pieces. She felt her pockets for her phone, but finally realized that she left it in her purse in her hotel room. The room she shared with Sue. She couldn't see any of the ensemble members in her condition. There would be too many questions, too much sympathy…just too much of everything.

There was only one person that could help her right now. He wouldn't be full of sympathy. He wouldn't ask any questions. He would just be there until she was ready to talk. Unexpectedly, that man was Derek Wills.

If someone told Karen a year ago that Dev would cheat on her, then propose to her, she wouldn't answer, then she would see him in the process of cheating again – with Ivy, nonetheless – and then she would be going to find Derek Wills, of all people, she would have laughed in their face.

However, that's exactly what's happening.

Once her brain and body started working again, she headed to the hotel. She was actively praying she could make it to his room without running into anybody she knows. Once at the hotel, she glanced in the lobby and headed straight to the stairs – the elevator always takes too long when you're in a hurry.

Tears still steadily flowing down her face, Karen runs up the stairs taking them two at a time to the tenth and final floor. She bursts through the door and pauses to take a couple deep breaths, then heads to Derek's door. She knocks three times and leans against the doorframe as she waits.

Karen hears footsteps and angry muttering on the other side of the door. She braces herself for an angry rant. She hears the beginning of it as the door is opening.

"Bloody hell! It's 3am! What the hell…" Derek trails off as he sees exactly who is at his door.

"Karen?" Derek asks as he steps aside for her to enter his room.

Her tears are still pouring down her cheeks as she enters the room and turns toward him.

"I need a piano or a guitar and a lot of water." Karen states her eyes pleading for him just to do as she is asking and she'll explain when she's ready.

Derek nods. "Okay. Give me a minute." He turns, puts his socks and shoes on, puts his coat on, and grabs his bag with all his work.

"Let's go. I know just the place." Derek says placing his hand on the small of her back as he leads Karen out of his room and to the elevator.

Karen leans against him as they walk silently. They walk for a few blocks before Derek leads her into some sort of 24-hour restaurant or café. Derek guides them up to the counter to talk to whoever is working right now.

"Hi…" Derek looks at the cashier's nametag, "Jonah. Can she borrow your piano for a while?"

Jonah looks at Karen who still has tears steadily curving down her cheeks. "Umm…sure, it's right over there." He says pointing to the back of the building where they see a stage with the radiant piano.

"Thank you." Derek and Karen say at the same time, although hers was more of a whisper.

Derek leads her up to the piano and pulls the bench out for her to sit. He helps her take her coat off and watches as she gets a feel for the keys and gets comfortable on the bench.

Once she starts playing Whitney Houston's _It's Not Right, But It's Okay_ he goes back to the counter to order some food for himself and water for Karen. He tells Jonah that she's going to need her glass refilled as much as possible.

Derek gets his phone out of his pocket and sends a quick text to Julia.

To Julia: 3:30am: Migraine, most likely won't be available all day. Need a new ending…maybe a song after Marilyn dies, so it's not as depressing for the audience? Thanks darling.

Karen just loses herself in the music. She easily flows from Whitney into Natalie Imbruglia's _Torn_ into Carrie Underwood's _Before He Cheats_. Derek can hear the distress and pain in her voice as she sings.

Derek settles the table closest to her, and gets lost in her voice and his work. He just watches as she sings Mary J. Blige's _I'm Going Down_ leading seamlessly into Toni Braxton's _Unbreak My Heart_ and then Bruno Mars' _Grenade_.

He hears quite a few Taylor Swift and Adele songs, which if he's figured it out right are very fitting for the woman before him.

He listens as she plays and sings her out. Her anger and pain are being laid bare for all to hear and feel.

He hears a few mellow songs like Miley Cyrus' _I Hope You Find It_, Taylor Swift's _The Moment I Knew_, and Boyz II Men's _End of the Road_.

He thinks they've reached the angry portion fully now as he hears her go from Alanis Morissette's _You Oughta Know_, to Pink's _So What?_, to All American Rejects _Gives You Hell_.

He's hoping they're nearing the end when he hears CeeLo's _Forget You_, Florence and the Machine's _Shake it Out_, and Whitney Houston's _I Look to You_.

Derek realizes that he's just been watching her for the last hour and a half, but can't force himself to start working again. He noticed that she hasn't stopped crying the entire time he's been with her tonight, which looking at the time is going on four hours. The process that she's taking herself through seems to be what she needed to work through all of her emotions from whatever happened tonight.

The last few songs flow easily through her fingers and, even though she's been singing for the last three hours, her voice is still as powerful as when she started, and he knows they've gotten to the "I'm better off without you" phase now.

The last four songs are the most powerful and emotion filled songs that she sings that night, or morning would probably be a better descriptor. She finishes with Beyoncé's _Listen_ which flows into _If I Were a Boy_ then Christina Aguilera's _Fighter_ and finally into Demi Lovato's _Warrior_. When she's done, she just sits there for a minute collecting herself and her thoughts.

Thankfully, Jonah kept refilling Karen's water because she would drink it as she moved from one song into the next. She had closed her eyes after Derek placed the glass and coaster on the top of the piano and didn't open them until now.

She looked up and her eyes locked with Derek's who was just watching her. She looked around and started blushing as she noticed a few of the ensemble members watching her as well.

Bobby, Jessica, Sue, and Dennis had been out wandering around looking for a 24-hour restaurant where they could get greasy food and lots of water so they could head off their hangovers later that morning. They stumbled into the very same place Derek and Karen entered less than an hour earlier.

They watched her, mesmerized until she finished. They didn't think clapping would be appropriate, but they definitely had a new respect for Karen now.

Karen got up from the piano and walked to Derek who was standing by the time she got to him. She leaned into him; side hugging him while using him as a crutch to keep standing. "Thank you. Can we go back to the hotel now?" She whispers now completely spent.

Derek nods, puts his coat back on, helps her put her coat on as well, and gathers his work back into his bag. She leans into him with her head on his shoulder and her eyes closed as he leads them back to the hotel with his hand firmly situated on the small of her back.

Jessica, Bobby, Sue, and Dennis just watch them leave in awe. They see the blind trust Karen has in Derek, but they don't know why she has placed her trust in him to keep her safe. Right now, they are too tired to contemplate or argue about it. So, they follow their lead, so to say, and head back to the hotel to sleep the day away, before they interrogate their friend.

They were given the next couple of days off so the creative team could fix everything that went wrong with Rebecca Duvall at the helm.


	2. Calm

**Disclaimer: **In first chapter.

**AN: **Thank you to everyone who followed and/or added to your favorites! Also, thank you to those that took time to review! I really appreciate it. :) I hope you like this next chapter!

**Chapter 2: Calm**

Derek looked down at Karen as they walked into the hotel and realized she was barely awake, only enough to keep her feet moving.

"Love, we're at the hotel. Do you want me to take you to your room?" Derek asks quietly as they wait for the elevator.

Karen shakes her head and shifts her head so it's closer to his neck. "No." She whispers. "Your room."

"Okay, love, on we go." He says leading her into the elevator. He pushes the button for his floor and leans against the sidewall. Karen takes that as her cue to maneuver her body into his until she's resting completely against him. Her head under his chin; their chests, stomachs, and hips aligned; and her legs between his.

"Karen?" He says quietly. "Karen?" A little louder. "Karen?" A normal tone of voice. "We need to get off the elevator, and as much as I enjoy the position you've got us in, it's not conducive for walking." He jokes.

She moves back to his side with a groan of disapproval. He silently laughs, because as much as he doesn't want to admit it, she's adorable like this.

"Stop laughing, you're making my pillow move." She pushes a fist into his chest to prove her point. With another groan, they walk out of the elevator and start down the hall.

"Come on, love. Just down the hall." Derek says quietly.

Derek pulls his key card out of his coat pocket and slides it into the card reader. He waits for the green light and opens the door. He directs Karen through the door, pauses to close and lock it, before moving both of them further into the room.

It's a simple room. There's a large king size bed with a bedside table on either side, a table with two chairs, a dresser with a TV, a closet, a kitchenette, and a bathroom.

"Do you want to change? You can borrow some of my clothes; yours don't look like they'd be too comfortable to sleep in." Derek says as he sits her on the edge of the bed.

She nods and it takes everything in her to remain in the seated position as he leaves her to gather the clothes.

He returns to her side with the clothes, and she just says, "Bathroom."

He steers her to the bathroom, places the clothes on the counter, and goes back to the main room to change for bed as well.

He hears the toilet flush, then the water in the sink running, and then he hears her call him. "Derek." It's quiet, but he was listening for it.

As he makes his way back into the bathroom, he's surprised to find her only in her bra and panties. She looks at him tiredly. "My arms feel like dead weight. I could barely get those off." Her point made as she kind of points to her clothes on the floor. "Can you please help me?" She asks warily.

"Of course darling." Derek says empathetically. He grabs the shirt he left for her and helps her pull it on, then helps her step into the boxers and pulls them up her legs.

"Alright, let's get you into bed." Derek says leading them out of the bathroom to the bed.

He pulls the covers back, helps her in, and starts to pull the covers over her.

"No. Stay. Please." She pleads in a whisper, while opening her eyes, red and puffy, to plead with them too.

"Okay." He knows he's not strong enough to say no to her, especially after what he bore witness to earlier.

He climbs over her to the other side of the bed, both under the covers, and she cuddles up next to him – her head and a hand on his chest and their legs intertwined.

She's asleep the instant her head rests on his chest. He lays there for a few minutes running his fingers through her hair, making sure she's actually asleep. Once he's certain, he falls asleep as well.

They both sleep like the dead, unmoving, for the next ten hours, and it's five pm when they wake up.

As Karen slowly wakes up, she's trying to figure out why it feels like a truck ran her over. Her eyes slowly and a little painfully peel open and she takes in her surroundings. It takes her at least a full minute to realize she's cuddled up to Derek. It takes another minute to remember most everything from last night.

"Ugh." She groans out, and then looks at Derek hoping that he's still asleep. Thankfully, he is and he looks extremely peaceful.

Karen takes a moment to see if she can extract herself from his embrace without waking him up. She twists her body a little in his embrace to see how tight his hold on her is, and hears him groan.

"Love, stop moving." Derek says slowly and huskily.

It takes him a minute to figure out what he just said, and he opens his eyes and looks down to see Karen looking up at him bashfully. When he sees her puffy red-rimmed eyes, he remembers last night.

"Hi." She whispers self-consciously.

"Morning love, are you feeling better?" Derek asks and kisses her forehead.

"I feel like a truck ran over me last night, but that's how I usually feel after a night like that." Karen shrugs as best she can before moving to sit up and stretch.

Derek does the same and asks, "Do you want to talk about it?"

"No…yes…maybe…I don't know." Karen says quietly. "Yes, but I'd like to shower first if you don't mind?"

"No problem. Do you want to shower here or go back to your room?" Derek inquires.

"I should probably go get some stuff from my room. But I don't want to answer any of their questions, and I know they're going to have a ton because they were at that café for most of last night." She shakes her head. "I don't know."

"Do you want me to go get your stuff from your room?" Derek asks as if it would be a normal occurrence.

"Yes, but that would bring on even more questions." Karen says as she thinks. "Ugh. I don't even care right now." She shakes her head, deciding. "Yes. Will you please go get my stuff while I shower here?"

"No problem. Do you have your key?"

"Where's my jacket? It should be in one of the pockets." Karen says confused.

"On the bathroom floor, I believe." Derek answers lightly.

"Why would it be on the bathroom floor?" Karen asks perplexed.

"What is the last thing you remember from last night exactly?" Derek questions with one eyebrow raised.

"Umm...it all kind of blurs together after I found you and asked for a piano." Karen says with a shrug.

"Okay. I'll fill you in on everything after you shower and then you can tell me why." Derek says assuredly. "I'll just grab your key and I'll be back soon. Oh, what do you want me to grab?"

"Umm…my purse and…ugh…damn it! I have to go down there. I need to get my bathroom stuff and my clothes. It would take less time than explaining it." Karen said agitatedly.

"Okay. Let's go then." Derek says moving his hand to the small of her back.

"Thank you." Karen nods.

They make their way to the elevator and down to the seventh floor. Derek opens her door, 723, and she moves around the room quietly, hoping they won't wake her still sleeping roommate and friends. It seems as if they all wanted to be there when she came back after last night. She just grabs all of her stuff because that is the quickest and quietest way to get what she needs. Plus she wants to hold off all the questions for as long as possible.

Karen walks back to Derek's side and he takes her bags from her, and leads her back up to his room.


	3. Aftermath

**Disclaimer: **See first chapter.

**AN: **Thank you to everyone who followed and/or added to your favorites! Also, thank you to those that took time to review! I really appreciate it. :) I try to respond to each person, but somedays busier than others. I hope you like this next chapter!

As of right now, I only have one more chapter fully written out. I'm working on more, but who knows where my muse will take me when I am writing. ;)

**Chapter 3: Aftermath**

Karen unzips her bag and grabs her toiletries and speakers then brings them into the bathroom. She finds her phone in her purse and grabs some clothes to change into after her shower.

"Thanks again." Karen rolls her eyes at herself. "I'm gonna shower, then you can shower, and then we'll eat and talk. Okay?" She suggests.

"Of course love. Do you want me to call for room service?" He asks before she makes it to the bathroom.

"Yea, that would be great. Thanks." Karen says walking into the bathroom and closing the door behind her. About a minute later, he heard the shower start and then music sounded loudly.

Derek ordered room service and got his phone to check for messages and laptop to work a little bit. He noticed he had a few voice messages from Eileen, as well as multiple texts. He noticed as he listened to the voicemails and read the texts that she got consistently angrier as the day went on. The last text he got was from about ten minutes ago.

He rolled his eyes and read the messages from Julia. She told him to feel better and to let her know if he needed anything. Then she sent a couple of apology texts because Eileen didn't understand anything about migraines and kept going on about Derek not being at the theatre or available to them.

He just shook his head and turned his phone back off after sending Julia a text thanking her for trying.

Derek had just booted up his laptop when Karen came out of the bathroom. He noticed that her eyes were no longer puffy or red-rimmed and that she looked better…more in control.

"It's all yours." Karen comments.

Derek nods getting up. "Feel free to use my computer if you want. Aaand…my wallet is on the dresser if the food gets here before I'm finished." He tells her before going into the bathroom.

Karen nods. "Thanks."

Just after the shower starts, there's a knock on the door. She grabs his wallet off the dresser and looks through the peephole to make sure it's room service. She opens the door and lets the man with their food inside. He places it on the table and she gives him a tip and thanks him after he tells her that it's being charged to the room.

There's another knock on the door a couple minutes later and Karen looks around confused. Derek didn't say anything about expecting anyone other than room service, so she goes and looks through the peephole as sees the last people she wants to see on the other side of the door – Eileen, Tom, and Julia.

Karen panics for a minute, before rushing to the bathroom. "Derek!" She whisper yells. "Derek!" A little louder.

"What?" Derek asks sticking his head out of the shower around the curtain.

"Eileen, Tom, and Julia are outside your door. Eileen and Tom look pissed!" Karen says hurriedly through thinly veiled panic.

"Bloody hell." Derek sighs. "Okay. Umm…we'll just pretend we're not here or that I'm sleeping or something. I texted Julia earlier that I had a migraine and wouldn't be available today so sleeping wouldn't be too farfetched."

Karen nods then blushes as she realizes exactly where she is right now. "Okay…I'm just…" she points behind her as she opens the bathroom door to leave.

Derek smirks and nods. "Okay. I'll be done soon."

Karen looks through the peephole to see that their visitors are still waiting. Julia is calmly texting, Eileen is calling someone looking furious, and Tom is talking on the phone looking pissed as well.

Karen sits on the bed and starts going through her messages. She has none from Dev, surprise surprise. She has a few messages from Jessica, Bobby, Dennis, and Sue all asking about last night and telling her to be prepared for the Spanish Inquisition when they see her next. Karen just shakes her head her friends are so predictable.

Karen knows that she's going to have to explain everything to Derek in a few minutes, but she's not even sure how to explain what happened.

She hears the shower stop and a couple minutes later Derek walks out with a towel around his waist.

"Sorry." Derek starts normally, but Karen cuts him off.

"Shh!" Karen says with her finger to her lips. "I checked on my way out of the bathroom and they're still out there!" Karen whispers quickly.

"Oh God, you'd think they'd give up!" Derek whispers annoyed. "Ugh. Okay…I'll answer the door. You just…stay out of view." Derek sighs.

Karen nods and reclines on the bed with her phone knowing the laptop would make too much noise.

Derek looks through the peephole to see that they are indeed still waiting.

"Hello." Derek greets exasperated and in a pained, quiet voice with his eyes squinted. "First please keep your voices down, my head feels like it's going to explode. Second, what do you not understand about 'I have a migraine I will not be available today'?"

Julia starts in a quiet, apologetic voice. "I'm so sorry Derek. I tried to keep them away but they wouldn't listen."

Derek just looks at her gratefully and is about to thank her when Eileen and Tom start speaking at the same time in their normal, loud voices.

"Derek, you can't…" Eileen starts.

"Seriously, Derek? You…" Tom begins.

Derek holds up his hands. "Seriously? What do you two not understand about 'keep your voices down'? I will see you all tomorrow for rehearsal. Julia, darling, thank you. Now, I need to go throw up and then continue sleeping. If you continue to knock on my door and loiter outside, I will call the front desk and have them remove you."

He closes the door on Eileen and Tom's protests. He leans back against the door for a moment, before returning to the main part of the room and goes to the table where the food is sitting.

"Hungry?" He asks Karen.

"Starved, I don't remember the last time I ate." Karen answers while getting up from the bed and moving to the table.

Both seated, they start dividing the food and begin eating.

Between bites, Karen starts speaking. "I guess you want me to explain about last night, huh?"

Derek swallows and looks at Karen. "Only when you're ready to explain, love. I'm not going to push you. I don't want a repeat of last night anytime soon." He jokes.

Karen half laughs, half grimaces. "Thank you for not asking any questions last night. I…just…I needed to get my head together and let everything out, before I could even begin to try and talk about it."

Derek nods in understanding and shrugs. "It's okay. I understand. Everyone has their own way of coping and dealing with their emotions and such. Yours seems to be healthier than a lot of people I know including myself."

Karen shrugs. "I…last night, Dev proposed." She pauses when she sees Derek's shock. "Most girls dream about their proposal and wedding day, and even if it doesn't follow those dreams it's romantic and memorable."

Derek nods, showing he's listening.

"I never would have even thought up how he proposed last night, and believe me, it was memorable." Karen shakes her head and Derek just stays silent.

"He…he proposed by telling me that as he was cheating on me he realized that he didn't want to live without me." Karen states in an incredulous voice with a grim laugh.

Derek raises his eyebrows shaking his head.

"How could he think that would make me want to say yes?" Karen asks shocked. "I told him that I couldn't make any life changing decisions during tech week. I didn't answer him, just told him to go back home. Then…I just wandered around for a couple hours? I'm not sure how long." She pauses. "Then I was heading back to the hotel and I passed a bar. I glanced inside, considering going in, when I see him sitting at the bar laughing and flirting with Ivy." She tells him, her voice hard and heated.

"Wow." Derek says, not expecting that. "Did they know each other?"

Karen shrugs. "I don't know. I mean, I'm sure Ivy's seen the picture I have of him…us…in the dressing room. And I told Dev all about Ivy. So, I mean, they would know who the other is. Anyway, I just stood outside the bar, numb. I couldn't look away and I could leave. Then they got up to leave and I hid in the shadows, I was…I don't know. They were just outside the door, and they started kissing, fervently. I just…watched it play out in front of me. They started laughing and walked to the hotel. I knew then, it was over."

"Love." Derek states empathetically.

Karen just shakes her head. "No. Let me finish." Derek nods his acquiescence. "Cheating, in any form, has always been a deal breaker for me. The fact that I saw him, with the one person I despise," Karen looks in Derek's eyes with a silent apology, Derek just shrugs. "I…I just broke down. I couldn't move from where I was standing for a while. Then I came here and found you, I couldn't go back to my room because they would just ask me a bunch of questions that I didn't even want to think about yesterday, or this morning I guess. And, that's when it all goes blurry."

Derek nods. "When you came here, it was about 3am. You asked me for a piano or a guitar and water."

Karen nods. "When something emotionally stressful hits me, that's how I deal. I just…play all the songs I can think of that relate."

"I brought you to a café a couple blocks from here. And you just started playing and singing and didn't stop for four hours. You had tears streaming down you face from before I opened the door to just after you stopped singing and playing. Your voice…you sang your heart out for four hours straight while crying and your voice didn't waver or crack or miss a note." Derek said amazed. "I think I only know of one other person who could do that."

Karen blushes. "Well…" She shrugs and shakes her head. "My parents usually just let me be when I would do that. The first time was…my cousin, my best friend, a car hit her, and she died in the hospital a couple hours later. The driver wasn't paying attention and ran over her in the crosswalk." Karen says with a far off look in her eyes.

"We said goodbye to her in the hospital then after she died, my parents brought me home. I went into our living room, sat at the piano, and just started playing and singing. I was thirteen. My parents said they tried to stop me and get me to go to bed, but I wouldn't stop or move, I wouldn't even acknowledge them." Karen continues her story, looking at Derek but not seeing him. "I think it took me six hours to finish that night. I went to bed and slept for ten hours, and when I woke up I was so dizzy and I almost passed out. I hadn't eaten or drank anything for over a day, which is why I asked for the water."

"Wow. So…" Derek trails off, not sure what he's supposed to say now.

"So, I freak out and check out for a few hours while I deal with all of the emotions running through me. Instead of dwelling on everything for weeks or months, I get it all out at once, deal with it, and move on." Karen explains. She continues more self-consciously. "I know. I'm weird. I don't deal with things well. My parents took me to a psychologist after that because I _wasn't dealing_ with my cousin's death as they thought I should. I don't know, maybe I don't deal with things like I should." She shrugs.

"How _should_ someone deal with their emotions? I don't think that there is any set way. Everyone is different, so no one way will work for everyone. What works for you won't work for someone else. Who's to say that the way you choose to deal with things is wrong?" Derek asks wisely.

"I know. I'm just…my parents always told me that I didn't deal with things well or right. I don't know, it feels like I'm dealing with them right, for me anyways." Karen tries to explain.

Derek nods. "Okay. Then it seems, to me at least, that you're doing something right. Yea?" She nods, smiling. "So what happens now?"

"Now, we finish eating. Then you tell me a story that makes you as vulnerable as I just made myself." Karen jokes with a laugh. "And then you tell me how you can fix the musical from the tragedy it was yesterday. Was it only yesterday?" She shakes her head; it's been a long 24 hours.

"Oh really?" Derek laughs and Karen nods. He thinks for a minute, before shrugging. "We'll see."

Karen smiles as they finish eating.


	4. Bare Your Soul

**Disclaimer:** See first chapter.

**AN:** OMG! You guys are amazing! I have over 800 views, lots of follows and favorites, and everybody who is reviewing is...awesome! I can't believe that you all are liking it so much! I hope I can continue writing well enough to live up to the high praise! Thank you so much!

Now, here is chapter 4! It's significantly longer than the other chapters, because I couldn't find a good cut-off point before the end. Oh well. Enjoy!

**Chapter 4: Bare Your Soul**

Karen stands up and moves to the bed. "Come on. Come bare your soul Mr. Wills. You can't have always been _The Dark Lord_ that everyone fears." Karen jokes. "And, in my vast experience, I've found that if you have to bare your soul, beds are the best place to do so."

Derek just looks at her for a minute. "You're not going to give this up, are you?" She grins and shakes her head no, and he rolls his eyes sighing. "All right, fine." He maneuvers himself to the bed, leaning back against the pillows and headboard. "Come on love." He holds out his arm, inviting her into his embrace.

Karen rolls her eyes but moves into his embrace anyway. She rests her head against his chest, her hand on his waist, and their legs intertwined.

As he thinks about the story he wants to tell her, his fingers run through her hair and up and down the arm at his waist.

"Mmm." Karen moans. "If you don't start talking, I'm going to be forced to move from this position or I'm going to fall asleep."

"Okay. Okay. Sorry." He laughs. He takes a deep breath before delving in. "You heard Tom and I fighting after _Touch Me_, right?" She nods. "Well, I've never told anyone this before, but my dad…" He trails off for a minute.

"My dad, he had affairs all throughout my childhood. My sisters and I knew, but I was going on 12 and they were 9 and 6. What were we supposed to do about it, you know? I caught him once. We were supposed to be out with mum for the day, but I wasn't feeling well. I wasn't diagnosed until years later, but it was a migraine. So, I went home to, hopefully, sleep it off."

The hand that was running through her hair now trailed up and down her back and finally stopped on the small of her back. The other hand that was trailing up and down her arm entwined their fingers and just held on. It was as if he was bracing himself.

"My dad was supposed to be practicing for an upcoming tour, but when I got home I didn't hear him playing. I was only going to see if he was okay because he was never not practicing, especially when there was a tour coming up." His grip on her tightened.

"I heard moaning and I thought he was sick or that something was wrong." Karen feels him shake his head, as if getting the images out of his head. She tightens her grip on him to let him know she's there. "I opened the bedroom door, and…there is my dad with another man. I don't even know or care who it was."

She feels his breathing get deeper and quicker, and she takes her hand from his and rubs his chest. His, now released, hand moves to join his other at the small of her back. "We knew he had affairs. We knew that. We just didn't know that they were with other men." He says in disgust. "I know I say that gay men bother me, and it's not because they're gay. It's because they remind of the worst of my father. He ruined our family with all of his affairs, and he didn't care."

Karen continues to run her hand along his chest, over his heart. "He…he made our mum believe she wasn't good enough. She's a dance teacher. She taught me and my sisters to dance and to love dance. She's the reason I became a choreographer. She's the reason one of my sisters teaches dance and the other is a principal in the Royal Ballet. Yet, she still, to this day, believes that she isn't good enough. All because of that…cheating, lying, bastard…I have to call father."

He pauses to collect his thoughts for a minute. "And then when I'm beginning a career, absent of him, he has to come and ruin it. Tom and I were friends, kind of, 11 or 12 years ago. Then my dad came back around, he told all the reporters that I said something to him and they could quote me through him. Of course, then when I try to deny anything no one believes me."

Karen doesn't know what to say or do other than to keep running her hand along his chest, over his heart, to let him know she's still with him. "I mean, I know I'm an ass. I know I'm _unpleasant_ to be around."

That causes Karen to snort. "Sorry. Sorry. Please continue."

"Right. I _know_. That's my point. Anyway, you'd think that if Tom had been a real friend, as he claims, he would've believed me or at least allowed me to explain. But no, he chose to believe a bunch of reporters known to stretch the truth." He shakes his head again. "So, there you go. Now you know why I'm such an _unpleasant_ person to be around."

Karen just continues to lay in his embraces for a minute, before unconsciously straddling him as she sits up to face him. She cups his cheeks in her hands and rests her forehead against his. "If you were really that _unpleasant_ to be around all the time, I wouldn't be here right now. I wouldn't have come to you last night in my time of great distress."

She continues to look in his eyes, seemingly searching for something. "All of what you just told me, it doesn't change who you are." She moves one of her hands to his chest and taps his heart, before leaving her hand there.

"You don't have to let your dad affect you. You just need to be the best that you can be and prove that he didn't win. That you've…" She pauses, thinking. "That you've thrived, despite his attempts otherwise. Prove to your mom that she raised you and your sisters into the man and women that she wanted you to be. Prove to her that she is good enough, _more_ than good enough. Especially if she taught all of you to dance and then all of you decided that you wanted to have dance involved in your careers in some way."

Derek just stares at her in awe for a minute, before shaking his head. "Thank you." He cups her cheeks and kisses her forehead then rests his head on top of hers, hugging her with his arms around her shoulders.

Karen laughs and they both pull back. "Who would've thought that _the great Derek Wills_ could be in this position with a woman and not try to take advantage of the situation?" She jokes.

He laughs too. "Ha. Ha. I am able to control myself. But if you would rather I didn't…" He trails off jokingly waggling his eyebrows.

"No. No. Control is good. It's nice to see." Karen comments.

"Okay. Okay. Now that we've both bared our souls, you wanted me to tell you how I am going to fix the show?" He asks.

She nods. "Yea. I mean, I'm sure I wasn't the only who noticed that it wasn't…_received_ well. It seemed to be lacking…I guess." Karen struggled to explain.

Derek laughs. "Oh no, that's putting it lightly. I texted Julia this morning after we got to the café that we needed a new ending, because while it's true that Marilyn died it's just a depressing note to end on. I told her that we needed a song or something after she dies that will leave everyone thinking or hoping or…anything but depressed."

Karen nods thoughtfully. "What about Rebecca?"

"What about her?" Derek inquires, trying to figure out what she's asking.

"From the first rehearsal to now, she's been…substandard vocally. She also embodied the traits of Marilyn that made men want her and women hate her; she didn't play the innocent Norma Jeane enough. And it seemed that the audience picked up on that too and responded negatively." Karen said, trying to be careful with her word choice.

"Who would've thought that the green, new girl from Iowa could _bad mouth_ her new bff?" Derek joked.

"First, she's not my new _bff_. Second, I can't help where I'm from or that I'm _green_. I know I'm good, and other people will see that eventually as well." Karen told him defiantly, with fire in her eyes daring him to say otherwise.

He just nodded, impressed while his hands unconsciously moved to her thighs just above her knees. "Anyway, I'm not sure what we're going to do about Rebecca. I guess that's up to Eileen." He shrugs. "If I had it my way, from the beginning, you would've been Marilyn." He says breezily as his thumbs caress the inside of her thighs.

Karen's eyes light up at that new piece of information. "Really?" He nods. "I thought that you were _Team Ivy_ all the way." Karen does a cheerleader move with her arms and laughs.

Derek looks amused. "Team Ivy?" He repeats. "Umm…no, why would you think that?" He wonders.

"Because you were sleeping with her?" Karen says as if it's the most obvious thing in the world.

"Love, I only slept with her twice." Derek's hands squeezed her thighs a couple times for emphasis. Karen's eyebrows shoot up at that information.

"Twice? I think she was embellishing with some of the ensemble members then. Also, that outburst when she lost her voice? That was over twice?" Karen thinks aloud.

"Well, obviously I don't know what she tells other people, but I promise it was only twice. It…she didn't seem like the best person to continue sleeping with because I…I'm not good at relationships and she seemed like she wanted a relationship. There's only one person that I would be willing to try for, and Ivy is definitely not it." Derek says laughingly.

"Who is that?" Karen asks softly and with no recourse other than wanting to know what makes this man tick.

"Oh no. I think I've bared enough of my soul tonight already." Derek jokes, a little more stiffly than before. "We'll save that for our next soul baring discussion."

"Okay, okay." Karen says lightly, knowing when not to push any further. "What do you want to do now?"

"I don't know. Movie? Or…TV? Or…I don't know." Derek tries to think of something else.

Karen was thinking about what they could do, when it hit her suddenly. Her grip on Derek tensed, as did the rest of her body.

"Hey. What's wrong love?" Derek asks, trying to figure out what he did to cause her to get so tense and rigid.

"Ugh!" Karen cried. "I just realized that I am now homeless when we get back to New York. Even if my name was on the lease of _our_ apartment, I wouldn't be able to afford it by myself." She started ranting.

"Hey, hey. It's okay. It'll be okay." Derek tries to calm her down. "Come here love." He opens his arms so she can cuddle into his embrace once again.

Karen just shakes her head and stands up to start pacing and thinking.

Derek watches her for a minute, before standing up and moving into her path, causing her to crash into him. He just holds onto her waist as she tries to get away to continue her pacing.

"Love, please just stop with the pacing. You're making me dizzy." Derek tries to soothe jokingly. "Karen. It _will_ be okay." He says unyieldingly.

"How do you know it'll be okay? How can it be okay? All of my friends already have roommates and no room to house anyone. All the places I _can_ rent are…" Karen pauses to make a face of repulsion and shakes her head. "So, I'm either going to have to beg one of my friends to let sleep on their couch for a few weeks or…" She ends with a shrug.

"Okay. Ask." Derek says simply.

Karen looks him in the eye with one eyebrow raised.

"We're friends, right?" Derek asks slowly and waits for her nod. "Okay, and as your friend, I have a guest room or, if you really want, a couch that you are more than welcome to, for however long." Derek shrugs with a smirk.

"What? No. Derek, no." Karen resists. "I can't…" Karen tries, and then pauses to regain her composure. "I…it wouldn't be a good idea." Karen finishes lamely shaking her head with no conviction whatsoever.

"Why wouldn't it be a good idea?" Derek asks confused with a sort of sad puppy dog look on his face.

"Derek." Karen sighs. "You _know_ why it wouldn't be a good idea." She implores gazing into his eyes.

"I'm sorry love, but I think you're going to have to spell it out for me." Derek says and she's not sure if he's being obtuse on purpose or he really doesn't get it.

"Because, of _that_, right there." Karen says, softly thumping his chest for emphasis. "Yes, we're friends, but it almost seems like it's more than that. You call me _love_ and I love it, and I…" she rolls her eyes at what she is about to say, "I _swoon_."

"Because no matter how much I've tried to convince myself that you're just this…" Karen pauses to think about the best way to put it, before deciding just to be honest, "this cantankerous, temperamental, badass, womanizer I can't. I can't look at you and see you that way. I mean, aside from the first time I was at your apartment and you tried the _casting couch_, which you apologized for already. You could've tried to pursue sleeping with me multiple times since, but you haven't." Karen shrugs.

"Then, last night I came to see you at an ungodly hour crying my eyes out, asking you for help without offering any sort of explanation until way later, and just being clingy. And you've been so obliging and compassionate and comforting and a gentleman." Karen rambles.

"And…and I'm afraid to get closer to you." Karen concludes quietly.

Derek heaves a sigh. "Why are you afraid to get closer?"

"Because I don't want to fall for you, I don't want to get my heart broken when I inevitably fall for you." Karen says reticently.

"I guess the next soul baring session is now." Derek mumbles under his breath, but Karen hears it anyway and sucks in a breath.

"You are the only woman I would ever consider for a relationship, love. The last person I slept with was Ivy, and that was…almost a year ago." Derek says, pushing on despite the look Karen gave him when he talked about sleeping with Ivy.

"I…something changed for me when you turned me down on my couch that night. I tried to fight it, that's why I slept with Ivy. Which obviously didn't last long." Derek rolls his eyes.

"When you turned me down and left, I didn't just want to sleep with you anymore." Derek laughs. "I did…do…still want to sleep with you, but it isn't the only thing I want. I want to know everything about you. I want you to be my muse for…the rest of my career because I think this, Marilyn, has been my best work in a long time. And I have no one to thank but you." Derek says softly, cursing himself for getting so mushy.

"And I know that you just broke off a long term relationship and that you probably aren't ready to start a new one yet, but I'll be here when you are." Derek says and pauses. "You did break up with Dev, right?"

Karen makes a face. "No. I wish I had, because I really don't want to see him or speak to him ever again." Karen says with disgust. "Would it be bad if I broke up with him over a text?" She laughs at the thought.

Derek shrugs. "It wouldn't be the preferred way to break up with someone, especially after three years together, but you need to do what's right for you. And he certainly wasn't thinking of you when he cheated. So, it's up to you what you want to do. I'll support whatever decision you make." Derek says then laughs. "Also, if you want me to pay him back for the sucker punches he got me with a few months ago I'll be more than happy to do that."

Karen just smiles at him indulgently while Derek thinks for a minute. "How long do you think it'll take you to pack all your things?"

Karen shrugs, thinking. "A few hours, less than five, maybe. Why?"

"Where do you think Dev is now?" Derek asks mysteriously. "Never mind let me see your phone." He requests.

"What? Why?" Karen asks mystified.

"Please?" Derek asks with his eyes asking her just to trust him.

"Ookaay." Karen drags out while getting her phone from the bedside table.

"What's the passcode?" Derek asks unlocking her phone with ease. "You don't have a passcode?" He asks incredulously.

"No. I don't need one." Karen just shrugs.

"Whatever. Just…please add one? I don't need some random person getting my number if your phone is stolen." Derek supplicates.

Karen nods and moves to stand behind, on her tiptoes, with her chin on his shoulder and hands at his waist. "Okay, but you aren't in my phone as Derek Wills, so I don't think that'll be a problem." Karen tells him. "What are you doing?" She asks, looking at the phone.

"I'm _finding an iPhone_, Dev's to be specific." Derek answers. "Oh. Look. He's still in Boston." Derek says with a lilt in his voice.

"Of course he is." Karen says in a monotone voice, not amused.

"Alright. Let's go." Derek says, putting his shoes on and grabbing his coat, phone, and wallet.

"Go? Go where?" Karen asks while putting her shoes on, grabbing her coat, and purse knowing it's no use to fight him.

"First, to find your friends." Derek tells her determined.

"Who? Jessica and the rest?" Karen asks disbelievingly.

"Do you have any other friends in the ensemble?" Derek asks rhetorically. "Of course those four. Then, we're getting a car and going to pack your stuff up in New York and move it to my place…at least temporarily." He pauses to take in her reaction.

"Right now, Dev's still in Boston. If you don't want to see him, this will be the easiest way to get all your stuff. And if you don't want to speak to him ever again, leave him a note and tell him you're breaking up with him instead of texting or calling or face to face." Derek explains.

Karen just shakes her head. "Fine. I'm not going to be able to talk you out of this, am I?"

Derek just shakes his head. "I'm going to go to the lobby and arrange a car. You go get your friends. Have them pack a change of clothes or something."

"Okay." Karen rolls her eyes, knowing that arguing would be moot. Derek's made up his mind; she wasn't going to be talking him out of it. Plus, she didn't really want to, if she was being honest.

As they get in the elevator, Karen realizes something. "Damn it Derek!" She lightly punches his arm. "I don't want to talk to them yet!"

"I'm sure if you tell them that, and that you'll tell them all about it later, they'll respect your wishes." Derek tells her.

Derek pulls her for a hug and kisses her forehead. "It'll be okay." He assures. "If you want, I can always turn into _the Dark Lord_ and scare them into not asking any questions." He laughs.

"I'll be fine." Karen promises. "I like it when you smile." She tells him before blushing and quickly making her way off the elevator to find her friends while Derek continues down to the lobby.


	5. New York, Here We Come

**Chapter 5: New York, Here We Come**

Disclaimer: Please see first chapter.

AN:

OMG! I'm so sorry this took so long. I was stuck on how to write Jessica and Bobby, I really wanted to do them justice…I'm not sure how that turned out yet. *shrugs*

Also, I get migraines – the pain and the effects of them last AT LEAST 15-20 days a month, the effects that I get are super light sensitivity and dizziness and apathetic, among others – which also played a part in this chapter taking forever. I'm sorry again.

JumpingOverTheMoon mentioned Ivy's reaction to DK's friendship/growing relationship, and I'm not entirely sure she'll make an appearance, other than her brief part in chapter one, in this story. This story was meant to show Karen's process dealing with emotions. However, it seems to have grown into some sort of journey into and exploration of DK's relationship. So, you never know…but if she's not in this one again, I'm already planning on a sequel and she'll be in that one for sure.

Also, I'm so glad that you all enjoy this so much! I've always thought I had a pretty good handle on dialogue, but was lacking when it came to _everything_ else. So, I'm happy to see that I'm doing okay with the rest as well. :)

One of my teachers said that a lot of his students say that people roll their eyes in stories, but he has never actually seen anybody roll their eyes in real life, I told him that I roll my eyes _at least_ once a day. He didn't believe me, but when I talk to my mom on the phone she always calls me out on it – she knows what's up. Anyway, all that to say, I know I have people rolling their eyes a lot, but that's because it happens a lot in my life. *shrugs* Take it how you want.

On to the story!

* * *

Karen walks to her room and hopes that Sue is there. She opens the door, and doesn't see anyone. So, she closes the door and heads down the hall to Jessica and Bobby's room, hoping they're all there. She knocks on the door and waits. She gets her phone out to call if no one answers the door, but just as she's pulling up the phone app, the door opens.

"Iowa!" Jessica exclaims. "Just the person we've been waiting for."

In the background, she hears footsteps and "Iowa?" from Bobby, Dennis, and Sue.

"Hey guys. Can you please not interrogate me for a few minutes? I promise I'll answer all your questions later, but right now I need you to get ready to go and pack a change of clothes." Karen states without letting any of them interrupt.

Karen looks into all of their eyes and they see that she needs them for…something, and isn't up for any questions just yet.

Various forms of "sure" and "of course" are heard amongst them rushing to get ready. Karen waits for them all in Jessica and Bobby's room and within ten minutes everyone's ready to go.

"Alright. Let's go." Karen says as they all head to the elevator.

"I know you said no questions," Jessica starts while linking her arm through Karen's elbow, "but can I ask where we're going that's making you be this mysterious?"

As they get into the elevator, Karen thinks it's only fair that she share their destination with her companions. "New York."

"What?" Bobby exclaims. "We can't go back to New York! We have rehearsal and previews tomorrow!"

"Guys, guys!" Karen says loudly above all their voices. "I know. Trust me, I do. But do you really think I'd be doing this, if it were my idea? I was told to come get you and bring you all to the lobby and that's what I'm doing. You can ask the person behind everything when we get down there, okay?" She looks at everyone in the elevator with her, and they all nod, curious as to who is behind all this.

They depart the elevator, and the four not in the know see the last person they thought they would be seeing – _the Dark Lord_ himself, Derek Wills.

"Umm…Karen? I don't know if you know this, but that's Derek, Derek Wills…our fearsome director…_the Dark Lord_." Jessica stage whispers.

Karen only nods, smiling. "He's the mastermind." Karen says ominously, and a little amused.

The other four just looked at her eyebrows raised.

"All right Derek, the gang's all here." Karen jokes. "Now, you explain to them what's going on, because they want answers and I can't right now." Karen tells him, pleading with her eyes.

"No problem love." Derek then addresses the group. "Let's get in the car first, and then I will answer your questions." Derek says placing his hand on the small of Karen's back and leading the group to the waiting car.

The four friends watch Derek and Karen's interaction. They watch as Derek unconsciously places his hand on her back – almost on the opposite hip, and how Karen leans into him laying her head on his shoulder comfortably. They share a look with raised eyebrows. They were definitely asking questions about this.

As they're walking out to the car, Karen speaks to Derek quietly. "You know, they're going to think we're sleeping together, right? They're going to ask a lot of questions about the last couple of days, which will lead to questions about how we became friends. Are you okay with that?"

Derek looks down at her and kisses her forehead. "It's fine love. They're your friends. Plus, it's not like it wouldn't come out eventually." He half shrugs, not wanting to jostle Karen's head.

"You're going to be nice, right? Like you are with me?" Karen asks, only partly joking. She looks up at him as they reach the car. At first, her eyes are slightly narrowed jokingly, and then they change into those puppy dog doe eyes that he will never be able to say no to.

"Really? You have to give me the eyes? Fine, I'll be nice. I'll be so nice that cotton candy won't melt in my mouth. Okay? That's really nice." Derek concedes with a laugh at the look on Karen's face as he said that. "Probably not as nice as I am with you, but that's only because you're the only one that gets that privilege." He finishes with a gentle smile and kiss on her temple.

Karen just smiles and rolls her eyes, knowing that's the best she'll get out of him.

Derek laughs, loudly. "You know what? I think I'm going to enjoy this, because being nice will catch them off guard and they'll be even more wary than they are now. Oh this is good." He jokes squeezing Karen's side and bringing their hips together.

Karen just laughs and shakes her head, knowing she brought this on herself.

The four dancers following them watched their interaction with rapt attention.

Jessica whispers so only the other three dancers can hear her. "What the _hell_ is going on?"

"Wasn't he dating Ivy, like, last week?" Bobby asks.

"That's what Ivy said, but _this_…" Jessica holds her hands in front of her toward Derek and Karen and shrugs. "I don't know. They look really _familiar_."

"He's laughing with and kissing her?" Bobby questions. "Has anybody ever seen _the Dark Lord_ this…comfortable or relaxed with _anyone_ before?"

They just shake their heads, continuing to watch the scene in front of them.

"I believe this bears repeating, _what the hell is going on_?" Jessica whispers just before they reach the two that they were following.

Derek notices that they caught up to them, and his face sobers up quickly. "Alright everyone. Into the car." He gestures to the limo on the street before them with his free hand.

Everyone looks on in shock, but quickly move to get inside the car.

Jessica and Bobby on one of the side benches, Sue and Dennis on the other, and Derek and Karen on the forward facing bench.

"Why are we taking a limo?" Jessica asks after everyone is inside getting settled into their seats.

"Because I'm not supposed to drive, especially long distances. And this was one car I knew we'd all be able to fit in and talk." Derek explains.

Karen turns to look at him. "Why aren't you supposed to drive?" She asks curiously.

"My migraines have some…_special_ side effects and symptoms – like dizziness, lightheadedness, nausea, light sensitivity, motion sensitivity, among other things – that make driving not safe." Derek explains.

Karen nods understandingly.

"Okay. We're in the car on our way back to New York. Would either of you care to explain what it is that we're doing, exactly?" Bobby states more than asks.

Derek nods. "You guys saw Karen last night right?" He asks the four while gesturing to Karen who's made herself comfortable in the seat next to him, leaning on his chest with her eyes closed.

"Yes." They all answer.

"Well, she caught Dev cheating on her with Ivy earlier that night. She came to find me asking for a piano, and I brought her to that café." Derek begins explaining. "She played and sang for four hours straight. I'm not sure when you guys came in, but her voice was strong and steady the entire four hours in the midst of her tears."

"Oh my God! Karen." Jessica says sympathetically.

Karen just shakes her head and holds her hand out for her to stop, then she opens her eyes and looks them each in the eye. "Please. I don't need or want your sympathy. What I did last night? That was me, working through all the emotions and getting over it. Okay?" She asks firmly.

They all nod. "Okay, but we're here if you need anything." Bobby tells her.

Karen just nods before closing her eyes once again.

"Now, we're going back to New York to help Karen move out of the apartment she shared with Dev and _temporarily_ into my apartment." Derek tells them the plan for when they get to New York.

"Okay." Jessica answers. "Now, are you two sleeping together?" She heads straight into the most immediate question she wanted answered.

"No?" Derek sort of questions. "Not technically. I mean, we've _slept _together, but we haven't had sex." He says it straight, no use beating around the bush.

They look at each other to gauge the other's reactions. They're not sure if they buy it.

As if sensing this, Karen speaks. "Guys, it's true. We're friends. He was just helping me out as a friend." Her voice is quiet, like she's falling asleep, but they know she's telling them the truth.

"How did you two become friends? I thought there was some…" Jessica pauses to think of what she's trying to say.

Bobby comes to her rescue. "Some revulsion or burned bridges after you found out he was sleeping with Ivy." He tells Karen, while finishing Jessica's question.

"I…" Derek starts then pauses, but remembers he told Karen he'd be nice and play along. "I apologized for the second audition I made her go through."

Karen smirks. "He did a _casting couch_ the night of my first audition. He wanted me to _show_ him I could be as sexy as Marilyn. He wanted me to show him _everything_." She explains why she had less than pleasant feelings for the man she was currently cuddled up to.

The other four look at Derek mildly shocked, and Derek continues where she left off. "Karen was ready to storm out of my apartment, but then she turned and entered the bathroom. When she came out, she was wearing one of my white button downs with only two of the middle buttons buttoned. She was walking to me slowly, singing _Happy Birthday Mr. President_. She straddled my lap, and as she ended the song, whispers 'Never gonna happen'. Then she got up and left." He tells them, sounding impressed.

"Wow." The dancers replied, trying to picture the scene they described.

"He came to my apartment a few months later, a couple weeks after the workshop, to apologize." Karen begins fondly.

Derek interrupts. "She opened the door in her lace and satin nightie." He tells them laughingly.

"Yea, yea. We all know that's what you'd remember." Karen jokes, punching his chest lightly, and rolling her eyes. "Anyway, he apologized for the _casting couch_ and thanked me for all my hard work and help as Marilyn that week." She smirks up at him – _two can play this game Mr. Wills_.

"Hey now!" Derek jokes. "You only asked me to play nice, not bare my soul to this lot!" He continues joking quietly, although all the occupants can clearly hear him.

The dancers look on, amazed by the two people in front of them. Both are more comfortable and…_themselves_ than any of them have seen before. It's as if a weight or something was lifted off them and they're _free_.

"Can we save the rest of your questions for while we're packing? Last night was long and draining, especially for this one." Derek asks squeezing Karen a little.

The dancers all nod, understanding that it's going to be another long night and they should all rest while they can.

"Brilliant. Let's all rest for the next three, three and a half hours before we start packing and moving." Derek says to everyone.

The four dancers watch as he maneuvers both their bodies to lying positions on the bench, while Karen just sort of…_knows_ what he's doing and moves her body with his. It's as if they've been doing this for years. She comfortable lays on top of him their chests, stomachs, and hips aligned with her head on his shoulder in the crook of his neck. His arms around her waist and his chin resting on the top of her head. Their legs intertwined.

Jessica, Bobby, Sue, and Dennis just watch in awe. They are too shocked, yet not really at the same time, to do anything more than stare for a minute. Once they get over their shock, they all lay down on their benches as well, side-by-side instead of on top of each other, to get comfortable for the next few hours on the road.


End file.
